CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau calls on local businesses, organizations and community leaders to help showcase the region’s signature Mountaineer hospitality as Morgantown prepares to potentially host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Visit Mountaineer Country President and CEO Susan Riddle confirmed that area tourism officials have begun to prepare for an influx of visitors to the Morgantown area, with the Hope Coliseum expected to play host for games for the first two rounds of the tournament between March 19-22. With the NCAA scheduled to officially announce tournament host sites Sunday.
The possibility opened up for WVU as a host after the Mountaineers won the Big XII Tournament title last Sunday.
“Not everybody gets to go to an NCAA championship round game, it’s a different excitement,” Riddle said. “They’ll be doing things at the Coliseum, we will have some type of presence at the Coliseum as well, and that’s not something we normally do for the men’s or women’s basketball season.”
According to Riddle, Visit Mountaineer Country is encouraging businesses and organizations throughout the region to participate by helping to create a visible and enthusiastic welcome for visiting teams and fans. This includes displaying welcome messages on digital billboards and electronic signage, decorating storefronts and windows, sharing social media posts and, of course, attending games. The goal for tourism officials is to create the most welcoming environment possible.
“If they have some type of signage, whether it’s a digital scrolling sign or whether it’s just a welcome sign in their front window, once it’s announced, hopefully people will be putting out their Welcome NCAA Women’s Basketball (signage),” said Riddle.
With the tournament scheduled just days after the official announcement, Visit Mountaineer Country aims to rally the community early so Morgantown and the surrounding region are ready to welcome teams and fans with open arms. This is based on the history of similar events hosted in other cities where multiple large events take place in the region during the same weekend, where lodging in Morgantown and neighboring communities are expected to fill up fast. With many visiting teams, families, and fans expected to travel to the area and stay in parts of Marion and Harrison counties, Riddle considers this a regional opportunity to showcase the friendliness and pride that define Mountaineer Country.
“It never hurts, especially after a rough winter, for people to hopefully put a little bit of spit and polish on a few things, to make sure that we have things in a manner in which we would want to make a first impression with individuals,” Riddle said.
Additional information and suggested welcome messaging will be shared with community partners following the NCAA’s official announcement. This will include guidance on what should be showcased as well as plans for tourism officials to attend any games hosted at the Hope Coliseum itself. While there is no guarantee that Morgantown will be selected, Riddle hopes that the community will embrace the exciting opportunity to demonstrate the warm welcome that she feels makes Mountaineer Country special.
“They’ve had another great season, and there’s really no good reason in my book why we shouldn’t get to host,” said Riddle.